An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.

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The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a food and medicine. Alfalfa has long been cultivated for its wide range of uses, including its edible seed, which can be sprouted and eaten in salads. It is also commonly grown as a green manure and soil restorer.
The wild subspecies of Medicago sativa are widespread across Eurasia, with no major threats and stable populations. They are also well conserved in ex situ gene bank collections. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

]. Eating large quantities of the leaves may cause the breakdown of red blood cells[

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

]. However, although they are potentially harmful, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will normally remove most of them from the food. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[

Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

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Alfalfa sprouts (and especially the seeds) contain canavanine. Recent reports suggest that ingestion of this substance can cause the recurrence of systemic lupus erythematosus (an ulcerous disease of the skin) in patients where the disease had become dormant[

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

Habitat

A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

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Properties

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Other Uses Rating

Habit

Perennial

Height

0.80 m

Growth Rate

Medium

Pollinators

Bees, Lepidoptera, Self

Self-fertile

Yes

Cultivation Status

Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Medicago sativa is a plant of the temperate to subtropical zones of Europe, Asia and N. Africa, where it is found at elevations up to 4,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 21 - 27Â°c, but can tolerate 5 - 45Â°c[

Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.

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Alfalfa has long been cultivated for its edible seed, which can be sprouted and eaten in salads. It is also grown as a green manure and soil restorer.
Seed yields can range from 50 - 750 kilos per hectare[

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

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Botanists divide the species into a number of sub-species - these are briefly described below:-
M. sativa caerulea (Less. ex Ledeb.)Schmalh. This sub-species is likely to be of value in breeding programmes for giving cold tolerance, drought resistance and salt tolerance to alfalfa.
M. sativa falcata (L.)Arcang. This sub-species is likely to be of value in breeding programmes for giving cold tolerance, drought and disease resistance plus salt and water-logging tolerance to alfalfa.
M. sativa sativa. The commonly cultivated form of alfalfa.
M. sativa varia (Martyn.)Arcang. This sub-species is likely to be of value in breeding programmes for giving cold tolerance, drought resistance and high yields to alfalfa.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

]. Alfalfa is an important source of leaf meal used for fortifying baby food and other special diet foods prepared for human use[

A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

]. The seed is soaked in warm water for 12 hours, then kept moist in a container in a warm place to sprout. It is ready in about 4 - 6 days[

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

]. The plant has an oestrogenic action and could prove useful in treating problems related to menstruation and the menopause[

A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

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A poultice of the heated leaves has been applied to the ear in the treatment of earache[

A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

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The leaves are rich in vitamin K which is used medicinally to encourage the clotting of blood[

A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

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The plant is grown commercially as a source of chlorophyll and carotene, both of which have proven health benefits[

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

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The root is febrifuge and is also prescribed in cases of highly coloured urine[

Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

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Agroforestry Uses:

Often grown as a green manure, Medicago sativa is a bit slow to establish in its first year so is generally only recommended for positions where it can remain for 2 or more years. The plant is very vigorous from its second year, producing a huge bulk of material that can be cut down 2 or 3 times during the growing season[

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

], and are able to fix large quantities of atmospheric nitrogen, this makes them one of the very best green manures. Plants are rather intolerant of competition from grass etc, however, and there is the drawback of needing to leave them in the soil for more than 2 years to fully achieve their potential[

Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

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Alfalfa is a potenially excellent source of biomass. It is possible to produce more than 2 tonnes of protein from the leaves (suitable for human use) per hectare per year. In addition, the plant residues remaining could be used to produce the equivalent of about 10 barrels of oil per year[

An excellent book on Lepidoptera, it also lists their favourite food plants.

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Alfalfa is a very deep rooting plant, bringing up nutrients from deep in the soil and making them available for other plants with shallower root systems. It is a good companion plant for growing near fruit trees and grape vines so long as it is in a reasonably sunny position, but it does not grow well with onions or other members of the Allium genus[

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.